Closed dry cleaning system



July 1'4, 1931. w. c. GLovER l 1,814,212

kCLOSED DRY CLEANING SYSTEM Filed April 12, 1926 Il HIM' M/vg/Ra/ff ATTORNEY Patented' July 14, 1931 UNl- TED STATES APME-Nfl* onirica 'WILLIAM C. GLOVER, 0F KANSAS CITY,`MISSOURI, .ASSIGNOR-TQ :BUTLER MANUFAC- TUBING COMPANY, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATICN 0I MISSOURI CLOSED DRY CLEANING SYSTEM Application alednprn 1a,

My invention relates to closed dry cleaning systems and more particularl to one of that class wherein cleaning liqui such as gasoline, is passed continuously through a washer containlng vthe articles to be cleaned and through clarifying means whereby dirt and other impurities taken up by the liquid 1n the washer and chemical or other sediment accumulated during travel of the liquid through the system, are removed before return of the cleaned liquid to the washer; the princip'al objects of the invention being the saving of time and material and improvement in qualit volume and availability of supply of the circulating cleaning medium in operation of the'system.

In accomplishing .these and other objects of the invention I employ improved details of mechanical structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings lwherein Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view of a continuous flow `circulating system embodying my improvements, the clarifier tank being in vertical section to illustrate the interior arrangement of mechanical elements. Fig. 2 is a detail lperspectivefview of the portions of the supp outflow and cleanout gipes and associated elements within the c'larier tank.

Referring more in detailto the drawings,

1 designates a washer of any conventional yform, mounted upon and spaced from a iioor 2. Leadingfrom the bottom of the washer 1 is a pipe 3 through which gasoline, carrying impurities accumulated in the washer, is drawn by a circulating pump 4 and forced back through a pipe 5 into the bottom of a clarifier tank 6, a trap 7 being preferably interposed inthe pipe 3 between the washer and pump to catch any articles of clothing, buttons Ior other foreign matter passing out of the washer through the pipe 3 before they reach the pump, flow through the pipe 3 be- -ing controlled by hand valves 3 and 4.

The tank is preferably located below the washer 1, usually underground beneath the floor 2, and isof peculiar construction in thatl it comprises a cylindrical body 9 having an vtard its travel in a 1929. Serial No. 101,241.

inverted, frustro-conical bottom 10 tapered to near the vertical center of the tank and there extended to form a wellll. The pipe 5 extends through the top of the tank 6 and through the body of the tank into the well 11- and terminates near the bottom of the well in an agitating distributor 12, here shown to consist of a plurality of nozzles 13 directed outwardly and having curved delivery ends whereby contents of the well are swirled to mix the incoming dirtyliquid with a chemical solution indicated at 14 as fillin the well 11. rIhe chemical usually employe for this purpose is an alkaline solution, composed-of caustic soda and water in about the proportions of one pound oi soda to one and onehalzt gallons Iof water. alkalis may be employed to make a solution of proper strength, or any material having the properties of cutting. soap and grease from the cleaning liquid may be used.

Located within the tapered bottom of the Gbviously, other,J

tank Gand preferably supported by the ipe 5, is an inverted cone 15, the rim of whic is spaced slightly-from the wall of the tapered bottom 10 to form a restricted, annular outlet 16 from the well 1i into the body of the tank, and whereby liquid rising through the well is diverted laterally to insure spreading of the liquid throughout a substantial area in the tank and avoid channeling of the liquid vertically in the tank. With this arrangement I diiluse the incoming liquid and rethin layer through the body of the liquid in the tank in order to avoid agitation and `facilitate a settling action as the liquid rises. The cone serves the additional unction of trapping gases delivered into the tank from the pump and which would otherwise bubble through the body of liquid, carrying sediment with them and agitating the liquid at the top of the tank, to inter ere with the settling effect.

The gases trap ed in the cone are elimi- I nated through a pipe 17 leading from the side 95 of the cone near its apex, up through the tank, through the roof of the tank and into an ex@ pansion tank 18 communicating with a vent pipe 19 through which the gases and air may escape to atmosphere. Leading back from the expansion tank to the clarifier tank is a -pipe 20 throu h which liquid passes into the expansion tan with the gas and air and se arated therefrom within the tank, may ow back into the clarifier tank, the pipe 20 prefer` ably communicating with a pi e 21 exteriorly of the tank 6 and through which the liquid is delivered to near the bottom of the tank 6 and emptied thereinto through the a itator'nozzles 22 which will be hereinafter described.

The roof 23 of the tank 6 is preferably of conical shape, and opening from the apex of the roof is a pipe 24 which leads back to the washer through a filter 25 and a super-heater 26. The filter may be of any suitable ,construction and provided with a clean-out pipe 27 provided with a valve 27. The superheater preferably comprises a collar 28 surrounding the pipe and having intake and outlet steam pipes 29 a-nd30 controlled b they valves 29 and 30. I preferabl provi e the pipe 24, near its connection wit the washer,

with a sight glass 33 through which condi# tion of the cleaning liquid may be observed at all times, and with a temperature indicator 34.

Accumulation of sediment in the well 11 is removed throu h a pipe 36 connected with a service pum 3 whereby the sediment is'removed and elivered from the pump through a pipe 38 to a receptacle provided for that purpose,the pi e 36 being provided with a valve 36 where y flow to the pump may be controlled. The pi e 38 is provided with a sight glass 39 where y'colndition of the dirty liquid ma be observed, and with a valve 38 whereby ow through the pipe 38 may be controlled. l

Whilethe mechanical elements heretofore y described constitute all the essential features ofthe system I prefer to employ in connection therewith a tank'41 within which an auxiliary supply of gasolinemay be carried and through which the washer-ma be drained when operation of the system is discontinued, particularly at night and when the tanks 6 land 41 are' located underground; thereby eliminating iire hazard 'and providing a suply of fres cleaning liquid to compensate for osses due to evaporation or other losses or withdrawals. tom 42 and opening to near the bottom of the tank is a pipe 43 leading to the service pump 37, whereby cleaning liquid may be removed from the bottom of the tank 41 by the pump and delivered through pipes 38 and 21 into the agitator 22,. the agitator having laterally turned nozzles 47 for delivering the liquid tangentially against the sides of the cone bottom of the tank\6 to wash oi any sediment which has accumulated on the inclined bottom of the tank, down into the well for removal when the well is cleaned or into a pipe`44 connecting the washerto the pump, so that the washer may be initially filled from the tank 41.

The tank 41 has a conical bot- The pipe 43 is provided 'witha control .V

valve 43 and the pipe 44 with a valve 44 whereby iow theret rough may be4 controlled.

The washer 1 may be drainedV into the tank 41 through pipe 3 and throu connected with the pipe 3 an rovided with a control valve 50 The tan 41 may be drained or sediment removed from the bottom thereof througha pipe'49 extending to the bottom of the tank and connected to the line 36, the flow being controlled by the valve 49 so that When valve 36 is. closed and the service pump operated liquid will be pumped from the bottom of the tank. v

Clarifying solution such as the alkaline mixture may be delivered to the Well 11 through a funnel 52 opening to the pipe 36 and controlled b a valve 52 54 designates a vent pipe leading from the topof the tank 41 to atmosphere, throu h which air may be relieved from the top o the tank to permit the liquid to flowthereinto.

Assuming the parts to be constructed and :lissembled as described, operation is as folows:

When the system is first installed the clarifier tank 6 is filled with cleansing liquid and an auxiliary supply provided in the tank 41. When the system is to be operated, the washer 1 is filled to the desired level by pumping h a branch 50 from the tank 41 through pipe 43, service ump 37 and pipe 44. When the washer is lled the valve 44 is closed, the circulating pump 4 started and the article container through the top of the tank through the pipe 24, filter 25, pre-heater 26 and -sight glass 33 back into the washer, thereby maintaining a continuous supply of the cleaning liquid to the washer.

The dirty cleaning liquid passes through the chemical solution where the grease and dirt is separated from the liquid by the chemical. Some of the solution from the well is diverted laterally by the cone 15 so that it is dispersed through a substantial area within the tank instead of rising through a narrow channel as it would if the cone were not present, thereby thinnin the up flow tofacilitate precipitation of the eavy particles of chemicals back into the well and permitting the purer liquid to rise tranquilly through the tank to the washer, any ases entering' the tank with the dirty liquif being ,trapped in the cone to prevent their bubbling up through ing advantages Where the liquid in the tank and escaping through the pipe 17 into the expansion tank where any liquid carried along with the gases is separated therefrom, the gases ventin through the pipe 19 and the liquid flowing back into tank 6 through pipe 20.

The tank 6 is of substantial capacity, containing a volume of cleaning liquid much in excess of that carried in the washer and retarding flow of the incoming liquid so that sulicient time elapses between entrance of the liquid into the bottom of the tank and its elevation to the top, to permit all forei matter to separate and be precipitated to t e well at the bottom of thetank, from which the impurities may be Withdrawn at suitable intervals, thereb insuring the ow of clean cleaning :fluid rom the top of the tank to the washer.

With my system the separation of eases from the cleaning duid is e'ected y the chemical solution and the separation of solid impurities and of the chemicals taken up by the liquid during its passage through the well are separated by precipitation, all occurring in the same tank 6 and eliminating the necessity for separate filters or mechanical clariers.

It is a well known fact that it is diiicult to secure pure gasoline, free from moisture, and that a small amount Vof moisture in the gasoline will seriously interfere with its cleaning properties and that if a suiiicient amount of moisture is present in' the gasoline it will damage the garments. In order to eliminate an possibility of such disadvantageI provi e the filter 25 which is of a t pe to separate moisture from the gasoline diiring its flow therethrough.

Operation of the system for draining the washer to the supply tank, returning the cleaning `liquid from the supply tank ktothe washer, and for compensating for losses has been described durin the description of the Washer and will not e repeated. It is apparent, therefore, that I have provided a continuous system of cleaning, simple in construction and o eration and comprisy a better quality of cleaning may be secured at a lesser cost and more quickly than is possible with systems of this general character heretofore in use.

What I claim and desire ters Patent is n y 1. In a continuous dry cleaning system, a

clarifying tank, a washer, a conduit leading from the top of the tank to the Washer, a circulating pump, a second conduit ieading from the washer to the pump, a third conduit leading from the pum to the bottom of the clarifying tank whereby liquid passing throu h the second conduit rises through the clarfgying tank and is returned to the washer in a continuous iow, a separate supply tank, a

service pump connected with said supply to secure by Leti tank, a discharge line connected with the service pump terminating in an agitator in the lower portion of the clarifying tank for g iushing the clarifying tank, and connections with the service ump for withdrawing iuid from the clarifying tank.

2. In a continuous dry cleaning system in combination with a washer, a clarifying tank and a supply tank, a circulating pump, a drawoii'. conduit for the washer connected to the circulating pump, a conduit for discharging the. fluid from the circulating pump into vthe clarifying tank and al return pipe for the clarifying tank to the washer, a second service pump, clean-out lines connected to the suction side of the service ump and communieating with the clarifying tank and supply tank, valves in said lines, and connections with the service pump discharge communicating with the washer, the clarifying tank and a system drawo' pipe.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

WILLIAM C. GLOVER. 

